You Don't Even Know
by LittleFlyingTiger
Summary: Sequel to "An Unusual Turn of Events," Things have changed in the past 4 years, but that doesn't stop Arthur from paying his old friend a visit. But feelings have also changed, leaving behind a rift that's not easily fixed, if it can even be fixed at all.


_After I ended "An Unusual Turn of Events," I hated myself for ending it there. So, I made a sequel. This time there will be a happy end, I promise! c: If you haven't read the previous one, I suggest you do XD Might makes more sense. For now, this one is rated T but that might change! I'm not sure yet lol._

…

Not a day has passed where I don't think about him, Arthur Kirkland who had meant everything in my life, and disappeared from it four long years ago. Well, not completely disappeared. We still texted and talked on the phone for hours, but it wasn't the same. I wanted to see him, to feel him. I wanted to know if he was ok. He sounded just fine the last time I talked to him. Last I heard, he was going to school to become a doctor! But that was two years ago. Slowly, our conversations became shorter and shorter. The days between them grew until we just stopped talking over all. It couldn't be helped; we are both very busy now that college is here. However, it still broke my heart all the same.

I had lost count of the nights were I would lay awake, wishing he was there to hold me. Those sleepless nights were the ones I missed him the most. I had only spent a few nights with him, cradling him in my arms. Only a few nights with the boy I had just come to love. And then he left. It was cruel, but it was not his fault. Some nights, I would sit on the balcony of my fourth floor apartment until the sun rose, which concerned my roommate, Kiku Honda. He was the closest thing I've had to a friend since Arthur left. Every year, around this time it would start to snow in Manhattan, New York. The snow left me with an empty feeling in my chest. It reminded me of the last night we spent together, when the light snow fell outside as Arthur and I fell together on the bed, lips locked and feelings blossoming. Things were different now. I didn't have friends, except Kiku. My life was all devoted to my schooling at a local community college. For the most part, my outer self returned to how I used to be, the young, obnoxious kid. However, the pain of loneliness in my chest continued to throb. But I was sure not to make that part of me noticeable to anyone else. In a way, I had closed myself off from the world because the only thing that mattered to me was still missing.

…

"Man! This game is impossible!" I shouted furiously as I threw myself forward on the couch. The video game taunted me with the words _'Game Over,'_ plastered neatly across the screen. This had to be the billionth time I've lost! Kiku, who was eating a small bowl of rice at the little dining room table, glanced up with me with his ever blank expression. "Well, we wouldn't sell the game if it was impossible," he stated in his thickly accented Japanese voice. "You Japanese love to make things difficult," I huffed as I began to start over. Kiku merely smiled in amusement. It was Saturday, and what better to do on a Saturday than to play video games mindlessly all day.

"Don't you have tests to study for?" Kiku asked in a serious voice. I waved my hand dismissively at him with my eyes glued on the screen. "Yea, yea… I'll get to that later," I replied. I could see his un-amused gaze from the corner of my eye. "Like you said four hours ago?"

I growled in annoyance. Sometimes he was worse than my own parents. But I have to admit, I don't know where I'd be in my class work if not for him. "Yea. Like I said… later," I retorted. Kiku sighed hopelessly. "What exactly is later? Next week?" he grumbled sarcastically. Well, never would be a much better answer. Studying was so boring! Again, my path down the video game repeated itself and I quickly found myself losing yet again.

"Fuck it! I'll go study!" I shouted angrily as I tossed the game controller to the aside and stormed into my room. I threw myself on my bed and grabbed the textbook. However, I found myself unable to concentrate. Inside, my heart was falling to pieces yet again. Only a week away was Winter Break and the painful memories flooded back. I gazed out the glass door that led to the balcony at the grey skies, and then I pulled out my phone hopefully, but… nothing, much like the past couple years. I missed Arthur so bad that I wanted to cry. We had only really spent a few nights together, even before we found out each other's secrets. So, why do I miss him this badly? I frowned deeply at the text book by my side. Studying could kiss my ass.

I rose off my bed and walked out the glass door and onto the balcony of our apartment. The air was still, even with the streets below as busy as they were. As usual, the streets were packed from bumper to bumper with cars and taxis. Along the sidewalks, people moved about in large masses. This place certainly wasn't Texas, but it was still alright. Arthur would like it here; the weather is more like Britain than anything, or at least judging from what he's told me. I leaned on the cold metal bars and watched as the world went by. I saw several small car accidents, and I'm pretty sure I saw a couple robberies too, but I couldn't tell. It was fun to watch the world from up here, where no one else could find me. Well, no one except Kiku. I don't know what time it was when he finally came out to investigate, but all I know is that the world had grown dark. The only light was coming from the porch lamp perched on the wall.

"You're out here again?" he asked. I looked back at him. He almost had this look of sympathy on his face. "Yea," I answered simply. Kiku looked around before fixing his eyes back on me again. "It's cold out here," he shuttered, pulling his arms around himself. Was it? I hadn't noticed. I looked up at the dark sky where the moon should have been if not for the grey clouds. "Maybe it'll snow," I stated airily. There was a short moment of silence as a small breeze blew between us. "You really like the snow, don't you?" Kiku stated. "Back where I used to live, it rarely snowed," I retorted. "That's right. You used to live in Texas, correct?" he said lightly. I nodded. "When was the last time it snowed there?" he asked as he walked up beside me, gazing up at the sky along with me. I felt my words slip out naturally.

"Too long."

The last time it had snowed was on that night which always seemed to haunt me.

Kiku could sense my mood, and thankfully he didn't question me too much. He let out a light sigh. "It's late. You should get some sleep if you don't want to be tired for work tomorrow," he stated before walking back inside. However, I knew I wasn't getting any sleep tonight.

Shortly after Kiku left, it started to snow lightly. The gentle flakes drifting down from the sky sent my heart into despair. It never failed to bring me back to that night. I held one hand up to the sky with fingers spread apart as if to reach out for a memory from so long ago. We were younger then, and reckless. I wonder if he still feels the same now. For all I know, he's made new friends, and completely gotten over me. It hurt to think about it. I continued to watch the snowflakes as they would land on my hand and melt away before I pulled my arm back and buried my head in them. I wanted to call him or text him, but I was afraid. Would he be angry? Upset?

_What exactly was I afraid of? _

…

"Thank you, miss. Please come again!" I called out monotonously to the customer as she trotted off with her cart full of groceries. She didn't even turn to acknowledge me as she left, which was normal for customers around these parts. I am a cashier at a little grocery story on the corner. It was a simple, low-paying job, but in this economy now-a-days money was money. I quickly brushed off the encounter like I was so used to doing, and moved to the next customer in line, an elderly man. He seemed to be a bit friendlier. I began to ring up his groceries with a fairly large yawn. "Hello, Sir. How are you?" I grumbled, trying my best to sound polite. He smiled with a small laugh. "I'm good, but looks like you could use some rest," he replied. I laughed back lightly. "Yea. I didn't get much sleep last night," I retorted. More like no sleep at all. In fact, the only thing keeping me from passing out right now was the energy drink I had on my break.

"Oh, that's a shame. I'm sorry to hear that," the old man said with a warm smile. Suddenly, my phone's ringtone blasted off from the pocket of my jeans, sending my heart straight to my gut. Shit! If my boss heard it, I would be dead meat! How could I forget to turn my phone off? The old man glanced around for the noise as I quickly slipped my phone out and pressed the ignore button. It was probably Kiku trying to ask me where I put something again. He was the only one who ever called me anymore. But doesn't he know I'm working?

"That was some racket just now," the old man grumbled, fixing his eyes back on me once again as I shoved my phone back in my pocket. I smiled nervously. "Yea! Must have been some teenager and his iPod, you know how they can be!" I stated, which sounded weird coming from a young kid like myself. The man finished his order, paid and left like every other customer that came up here. Thankfully, there was no one else in my line for now. I felt a sudden pang of guilt for just hanging up on whoever it was that called me. I glanced around cautiously for my boss, who was talking with an angry customer on the other end of the front end of the store. Quickly, I pulled out my phone and threw a quick text at the person who had called. _'Srry. Working. Call back l8er.'_ I shoved my phone back in my pocket for good.

I never really saw who it was that called.

My phone remained silent throughout the rest of my shift, so I quickly forgot it had even rung in the first place. It was 8 o'clock in the evening now. It was too late to make myself some food when I got home, so I stopped by my favorite burger place on the way home. I was walking back down the streets, enjoying my food and the chilly air when suddenly, my phone rang again. Mindlessly, I answered it. "Ello! This is Alfred speaking!" I blurted into the phone with cheeks half full of burger.

"_I'm sorry I called you in the middle of work. I had no idea…"_

The gentle voice soothed my ears with the sound of a thousand angels. I froze dead in my tracks, almost dropping the food from my hand with the stupidest expression on my face. All time seemed to slow down around me. I haven't heard that voice in two long years, and suddenly it felt as if the empty hole in my heart had been filled again.

"Arthur?"

I took a brief second to look at the screen of my phone. _Arthur Kirkland. _It was really him, I couldn't believe it. Suddenly, my body gained a new kind of energy. I held the phone back up to my ear with a goofy smile. "Arthur! Hey! How ya been, man? I haven't heard from you in forever!" I laughed. I continued walking on my way as if nothing had happened, ignoring the strange glances I got from the passerby's.

"_I've been good. How about you?"_

I couldn't help but to smile at his voice. "Same. Been busy as hell with school, but I've been good," I responded. I couldn't help but to wonder why exactly he was calling me. This was his first phone call in two years; I doubt he just wanted to make small talk. Though I could already guess what he was going to say, which sent my heart fluttering into the sky.

"_That's good. Hey… listen. My dad is going on a business trip to New York for Winter Break, and he's letting me come with him. Wo-Would you want to hang out?"_

I hesitated as if I hadn't heard him right. This was all too amazing. His breath hitched on the other line. It was then I realized that I shouldn't have paused, so I picked up my voice immediately. "Of course!"

Arthur let out a small sigh. _"Alright. I'll be arriving Friday. My flight is supposed to come in at four o'clock your time, so maybe we could get a cup of coffee or something," _he suggested. "Sounds awesome! I'll meet you there at four!" I responded. _"Alright. I have to go. It's late here. I'll talk to you some other time."_

My heart almost burst when the line closed. It was the shortest conversation we'd ever had, but it was most certainly the most satisfying. I shoved my phone back in my pocket once more as I came up to the lobby of Kiku and I's apartment complex. He was coming back. _Next week!_ I almost couldn't bear these feelings racing through my body. And I most certainly couldn't hold back this goofy smile on my way up to my apartment.

As I walked in, Kiku took notice right away of my sudden upbeat attitude as I fell backwards onto the couch and laughed like the giddy kid I was. Kiku could only smile at me. "Well, someone certainly looks happy," he stated. I closed my eyes; a new feeling of exhaustion came over me. There was only one thing I could say now.

"You don't even know."

…

_A shaky, short start, but I hope it works. I wrote this one while writing like 5 others so please forgive me! (and be ready for many more fics from me in the future :3) T^T Sorry for mistakes etc. I'm planning 4-5 chapters for this one, but we'll see. And Kiku is merely here to give support! He seemed like the most… err… 'motherly' (? Not sure if I used the right word XD ) character and the best for that role. I've never been to Manhattan so forgive me if it's nothing like this ;w; I do know there is a community college there though._


End file.
